YOU MIGHT HAVE SOME QUESTIONS…

Q: Where does the session take place? What should I wear?

A: Your Integrative Therapy session will take place in a small, quiet room, furnished specifically for this work and designed to minimize distractions. You may receive a session in a chair, on the massage table, or both. Please bring or wear loose, comfortable clothes to work in. There is private space to change in the office.

Q: What is a session like?

A: Each session is 1-2 hours long. First, we'll talk about how you're feeling and what you need on that particular day. We might set some goals for the session (i.e. relaxation, restoring focus, reducing pain, etc.). Next we'll proceed with a combination of psychotherapy, bodywork, and/or guided meditation that is appropriate to your particular needs. The work is, primarily, experiential - which means we'll spend time with what you're feeling right now - most likely in your body. Experiential work allows us to deepen your connection to your resources (ways in which you feel good), and to what's been bothering you that you are looking to change. Treatment often induces a deeply peaceful state, though at times you may also actively witness and follow bodily sensations, images, thoughts and emotions as energy and tension releases and vitality returns. During the session, clients help guide me toward or away from particular sensations.

Q: Are there exercises I can do at home?

A: Yes. I can give you pointers on how to fit what we do in our sessions into your everyday life, including Polarity yoga exercises which relieve stress and instantly increase blood flow and energy.

A: Integrative body work involves full contact with the body and we attend to physical pain, just like massage. The practitioner may apply deep pressure to muscles, rock parts of the body or just hold a joint or limb for minutes at a time. The experience can be deeply satisfying if you crave physical contact.

Unlike massage, we’ll think about physical pain and sensation as communicative of you as a “system” – what’s going on in the bigger picture. The pace of Integrative Therapy may be considerably slower than massage, giving you time to fully relax and the quality of touch may be very light or “off the body.” Clients are fully clothed during the session.

A: Depending on your mental, emotional and physical state when you walk in the door, you may feel different each time. It depends on what you need out of a session. If you need rest, we’ll work toward relaxation -- like you’ve had the best nap of your life. If you’re troubled by a problem or pain, you may feel calmer and relieved, with a deeper understanding of what you need when you walk out of the treatment room.

Q: What does “guided meditation” mean?

A: Where is your consciousness right this minute? Are you aware of how your feet are touching the ground? In guided meditation I help you perform this kind of silent “check in” with your body. Just by focusing your attention on a particular part of the body, you can change the way it feels and reacts to its surroundings. This is part of Realization Process® work, which you will eventually be able to do on your own at home, in the office or while walking down the street.

Q: I don’t think I have the time or money right now to do this…

A: These are tough times and our lives are more stressful than ever. Unfortunately, stress weakens the immune system, leaving the body vulnerable to illness and disease. Integrative Therapy strengthens your physical, emotional and mental integrity, helping you face the challenges of everyday life with more ease.

Q: Is therapy confidential?

A: In general, the law protects the confidentiality of all communications between a client and a psychotherapist. Information is not disclosed without written permission. However, there are some exceptions to this rule. Exceptions include:

Suspected child abuse or dependent adult or elder abuse. The therapist is required by law to report this to the appropriate authorities immediately.

If a client is threatening serious bodily harm to another person/s. The therapist must notify the police and inform the intended victim.

If a client intends to harm himself or herself. The therapist will make every effort to enlist their cooperation in insuring their safety. If they do not cooperate, further measures may be taken without their permission in order to ensure their safety.